PREVALENCE OF ALLERGIC RHINITIS AND ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS AMONG PATIENTS ATTENDING KCMC HOSPITAL ENT DEPARTMENT BETWEEN JANUARY 2015 – DECEMBER 2015

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INTRODUCTION: Allergic rhinitis is one of the commonest atopic disease that contributes to significant morbidity worldwide but its epidemiology in Tanzania remain scarce due to lack of enough study. There is lack of enough information and the general knowledge regarding allergic rhinitis among residents around the regions bordering Kilimanjaro, affecting quality of life and subjecting them to several consequence of its complications. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the prevalence, risk factors and complications of allergic rhinitis among patients attending at KCMC department of ENT. METHODOLOGY: The study was a hospital based retrospective cross section study in which data was collected from ENT and medical records department of corresponding files of patients who presented with a diagnosis of allergic rhinitis at KCMC who met the inclusion criteria. RESULTS: Of all patients 193 included in the study females are more affected with allergic rhinitis52.3% compared to males with the ratio of 0.91, with the prevalence being high in children 0-10 age group. Also I found that those with a family history of atopy and asthma were at more risk of developing allergic rhinitis 59.1% and the most encounteredcomplication was turbinate hypertrophy where 61.7% of all patients involved had or were treated for it. CONCLUSION: At KCMC majority of patients diagnosed with allergic rhinitis are females and specially children with a family history of atopy and asthma. They attend clinic mostly during the summer which is likely the season of frequent attack and most of them come in with complications notably turbinate hypertrophy.

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